Crush (Crash #3)(95)

"All that's left is a couple of signatures and 'I do's, then," Jude said, inclining his head, encouraging me to walk up the aisle.

Throwing my shoulders back and putting on a dramatic face, I held an imaginary bouquet of flowers in front of me and started my left-together, right-together march down toward the man I was about to promise forever to.

"Baaa-bum-ba-bum," Jude sang in a low voice, "Ba-bum-ba-bummm."

Even at a slow walk, I was in front of him before he'd finished singing.

"Didn't I tell you, Father Joe?" Jude said, fitting his hand against my cheek. "Isn't she the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"

Father Joe's warm smile grew. "I'd say you're a very lucky young man."

"Hell yes, I am . . ." Jude's voice trailed off as he gave the priest a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

Father Joe just chuckled and folded his hands in front of him. "Shall we get started?"

"Hel-" Jude caught himself this time. "You bet."

"Thank you for marrying us," I said. "I bet you don't get too many shotgun weddings in a place like this."

Father Joe leaned in like he was telling me a secret. "You'd be surprised."

"This is your last chance to run away screaming, Luce," Jude said, holding his hands out for mine.

I studied the door before turning to him. I grabbed his hands. "How about once we're done here, we run away together?"

"Deal," he answered, nodding his head at Father Joe.

"Mr. Ryder said he'd like to keep the vows brief," Father Joe started.

I chuckled. "Of course he did."

"If that's all right with you, Miss Larson."

"Whoa." Jude's eyes widened. "Do you realize that's the last time you're going to be Miss Larson?"

"Yeah, that's kinda the reason I'm standing here," I said, laughing at the irony that our wedding was just as unconventional as our entire relationship. "And yes, Father Joe, I'm just fine with keeping things brief."

"Something tells me the two of you have quite the dynamic relationship," Father Joe said, his eyes sparkling.

Jude and I looked at each other and smiled. "You have no idea," we said in unison.



       
         
       
        

Father Joe cleared his throat and angled himself toward Jude. "Son, repeat after me-"

"Oh, I'm good, Father," Jude said, raising his hand. "I memorized the vows a while back."

"What?" I shouldn't have been surprised.

"I never knew when I was going to finally wear you down, and had to be ready for whenever that moment occurred," he said.

I stood up on my toes and planted a kiss on his lips. "Just when I think I can't fall any more in love with you."

He winked and blew a slow rush of air out of his mouth. "I, Jude Ryder Jamieson, take you, Luce Roslyn Larson"-I bit my lip to keep from smiling-"to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish-until death do us part." He blew out another long breath. "How was that?"

"Pretty much the most romantic thing you've ever said to me," I replied.

"Very well done, son," Father Joe said before angling in my direction. "Lucy, would you like to repeat after me, or did you memorize the vows as well?"

"I've got this, Father," I said, squeezing Jude's hands. Amazingly, neither of our hands were clammy. Neither one of us was nervous about making promises of forever to the other. "I, Luce Roslyn Larson"-now it was Jude's turn to keep from smiling-"take you, Jude Ryder Jamieson, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish-until death do us part."

As I finished my vows, I wondered what had taken me so long to get here. What had I been so worried about waiting for? Jude was just as much mine now as he had been then. A simple exchange of vows shouldn't change anything. But as I stood here before him now after exchanging our vows, it kind of changed everything, too.

"I understand you have rings you'd like to use?"

"We do," Jude answered, slipping something from his pocket. It was a tiny silver band. A wedding band with three alternating gemstones. It looked like he'd been hoping for this moment when he got dressed today.

Holding my left hand in his, he positioned the finger above my ring finger. "These stones represent you and me, Luce, and our little girl," he said. "Emerald for your birthday, ruby for mine, and amethyst for the month she's supposed to be born. I wanted it to be special, you know?"